Signal Vs WhatsApp: Privacy or Popularity

When choosing what instant messaging app to go with it’s important to know how safe your messages are. Another must is that the app has the feature you like and can also have some fun with. No wonder WhatsApp is so popular since it offers a vast variety of great features. Signal, on the other hand, may not have all the features WhatsApp has but it is more secure. Signal is an open-source, routinely audited and an app that is always up to date security wise. How do these two apps compare? Let’s take a look at Signal vs WhatsApp comparison to find out which one is better for you.

Signal vs WhatsApp: Comparison

WhatsApp

I think you would agree that WhatsApp doesn’t need an introduction. After all, it is the most popular messaging app out there, despite it being owned by Facebook. It has more than 1 billion users and it hired the same company to create their end-to-end, Open Whisper Systems.

Signal

Signal is the underdog of the two. Many may not have heard or of or only have an idea of what it can do. Unlike WhatsApp that started out as a messaging app, Signal started out as a security app. This messaging app doesn’t have nearly as many features as WhatsApp, but give it some time. It will catch up.

The features that you can enjoy with Signal are:

Voice calls

Group chats

Multimedia support

Gifs

Send your location

You can create messages that self-destruct

Has a desktop app better than WhatsApp

Emoji support

Encrypted chats

Doesn’t store user data

Attach files

Send voice clips

Share pictures

Verify sessions with safety numbers

Pros

Great app for privacy

Doesn’t keep user data

Has basic instant messaging app features

Cons

Doesn’t have as many features as WhatsApp

Signal has a lot fewer users

Its design is not as attractive as WhatsApp’s

So, WhatsApp or Signal?

The instant messaging app that’s best for you is going to depend on your needs and likes. If most of your friends are on WhatsApp, then there’s a good chance that you’re going to end up using that app anyway. If you feel that you can’t live without all the features WhatsApp has to offer, then you know what app you should go for.

As long as you can use the basic features of an instant messaging app, you should be OK. If that’s all you care about then Signal is a good choice for you. Hopefully, you can convince the friends you have on WhatsApp to also use Signal or trade it in as their default messaging app.

Conclusion

No one can tell you what instant messaging app you should use. Since everyone’s needs are different all you can do is read up on what each app offers. Then you can decide which app to go with. Which app do you think is best overall? Tell us what you think in the comments.

About The Author

I can never get enough of tech in general, whether it's Android or web apps but helping others solve their tech problems also brings great satisfaction. I carry a device wherever I go, and I'm always connected. Life without the Internet just sounds too scary to me. :-)